tonight, sounding the alarm. dr. anthony fauci with the stark warning to congress as 23 states report a rise in new cases. in texas and california, staggering new records. why the next few weeks are critical, and the hopeful message today on a potential vaccine. president trump in arizona as the state breaks its single day recohis second indoor event in just four days his response to whether his statement about slowing down testing was really just a joke. the surprise twist in the fbi investigation into a noose found in nascar star's bubba wallace's garage stall

why no charges will be filed. the clash near the white house. police driving out protesters trying to topple a statue. what the president is now threatening to do. the family of rayshard brooks dressed in white for a final farewell m.l.k.'s daughter with a powerful message to his children the world's top tennis player testing positive for covid-19 after a tournament what it means for other sports as they eye their returns. nearly 100 workers infected at a single amazon warehouse and the primaries in a pandemic. will we see some election upsets tonight? >> this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening i'm savannah guthrie in for lester. tonight the stark warning from the nation's top infectious disease doctor coming before congress dr. anthony fauci said today we're seeing a disturbing surge of infections and the next two weeks will be critical cases of covid are on the rise in almost half the states now with record surges in

florida, texas, and arizona where the president visited this afternoon. we have our team covering all angles tonight and we'll begin with nbc's tom costello in washington >> reporter: with long lines for testing and covid-19 cases surging once again in the south and the west, the nation's top coronavirus experts today warned congress, the pandemic remains a very real threat >> we're now seeing a disturbing surge of infections >> reporter: nationwide 23 states are reporting an increase in cases, 25% or more, over the last two weeks. with increases of 100% or more in hawaii, oklahoma, montana, florida, arizona, south carolina, wyoming, and oregon. experts believe it could be linked to the memorial day weekend when millions of americans chose to leave home and socialize in large groups >> the next couple weeks are going to be critical in our ability to address the surgings we're seeing. >> reporter: the stats today 2.3 million

confirmed cases across the country. 120,000 deaths and climbing by 500 to 1,000 each day experts warn of a potentially horrifying death toll to come the possibility of 200,000 deaths by the fall >> we have large parts of the country that believe that somehow the pandemic is over and that we're done with the pandemic. that is going to get us into a lot of trouble. we are not done with this pandemic. >> reporter: 14 states plus d.c. have shown a drop in cases of 25% or more over the last two weeks. today's hearing comes just three days after president trump said a decrease in testing would slow the number of cases >> so i said to my people, slow the testing down please. >> reporter: the white house said the president was kidding but today mr. trump said he was serious. his top doctors though insist nothing has changed. >> i know for sure that to my knowledge none of us have ever been told to slow down on testing we're going to be doing more testing not less >> all of us have been

and continue to be committed to increasing readily, timely access to testing. >> reporter: the good news, the first potential vaccine enters phase three clinical testing next month. fauci is optimistic about a vaccine by year's end >> i still think there is a reasonably good chance that by the very beginning of 2021 that if we're going to have a vaccine we will have it by then. >> reporter: when will schools be able to open the top docs today said it is up to each individual state and school district. one size does not fit all for schools or universities meanwhile, a plea to young people to think about those at risk and avoid large crowds >> plan a, don't go in a crowd. plan b, if you do, make sure you wear a mask >> reporter: the concern tonight, weeks after a surge, the death rate typically goes up. tom costello, nbc news, washington >> reporter: i'm morgan chesky in texas where tonight a surge in covid-19 is raising fears as the state reopens. >> we are moving very

fast in the wrong direction. >> reporter: multiple cities are turning into hot spots today another record high 5,000 new cases statewide. now after blaming rising numbers on increased testing, governor greg abbott is changing course >> covid-19 is now spreading at an unacceptable rate in texas. it must be corralled we have several strategies to reduce the spread without having to shut texas back down. >> reporter: in less than a week, new cases in the houston area have more than doubled prompting this warning from infectious disease specialist dr. peter hotez >> i believe if the numbers continue to rise at this pace houston is on track to become the worst affected city in the united states. >> reporter: despite prompting texas children's to now treat adults in an isolation unit hospital staff says the situation is changing >> at this point we're actually trying to catch up we're -- in the

beginning when this happened we were in the front of it. >> reporter: experts partially blamed the surge on people not wearing masks, lack of social distancing especially among younger adults, another concern. in north carolina, one of the many places where crowds packed the beaches. and in florida, officials report a radical rise in younger covid cases. >> half of the positive tests are in that 34 and under age group. >> reporter: in arizona cases have doubled over the last two weeks. 84% of their icu beds are now in use on the west coast, california breaking their own daily high more than 5,000 new cases in the last 24 hours. >> there is this false sense of security right now because things are opening up. >> reporter: back in texas a push from the owner of the houston rockets for everyone to follow the guidelines >> if we don't wear masks we'll have to shut down again. >> reporter: with numbers rising officials say this pandemic may just be getting started. morgan chesky, nbc news president trump is in one of those hot

spots tonight campaigning in arizona, a critical battleground state nbc's geoff bennett reports on politics and the pandemic >> reporter: president trump tonight for the second time in less than a week addressing supporters at a large, indoor gathering this time at dream city church in phoenix. the event raising health concerns with arizona today reporting a record number of new coronavirus cases. nbc's joe friar is there. >> some people are worried about being in a confined space with a lot of people right now because of coronavirus. do you have any worries at all >> those people should have been worried when they were doing the riots and nobody seemed to worry then >> reporter: leaders of the church hosting the event said in a since deleted video that they installed new technology they claimed could virtually kill covid-19 in the air. >> we've installed the units and it kills 99.9% of covid within ten minutes. >> reporter: the

church today posting a statement saying they misspoke adding we hope to alleviate any confusion we may have caused event organizers say they're asking but not requiring people to wear masks inside. today's visit marks president trump's third trip to arizona in five months, a state crucial to his re-election. arizona was once a reliably republican stronghold, but national polls show the president currently trailing democratic rival joe biden. the president trying to regain momentum by returning to an issue that helped him win the white house in 2016 border security. >> my administration has done more than any administration in history to secure our southern border. >> reporter: the president stopping in yuma to tout the completion of 200 miles of border wall built during his administration meantime, former president barack obama making his first appearance on the 2020 virtual campaign trail with joe biden tonight slammed president trump, accusing him of practicing what he

called, quote, disorganized, mean-spirited approach to government that endangers american values savannah >> geoff, thank you. the fbi says tonight it is confident no crime was committed in connection with a noose found in the garage used by nascar star bubba wallace nbc's pete williams joins us now pete, what have we found out? >> well, the fbi and the justice department now say it does not appear anybody intended to express hatred for bubba wallace. the discovery of a noose in his nascar garage touched off a huge and emotional show of support for him at the track in alabama. now the fbi says the noose had been there for at least six months since last october and that wallace was only assigned that specific garage last week investigators determined nobody could have known he would be assigned to that garage, conclusion no evidence of any federal crime nascar says it was a garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose and says it is grateful to learn this was not an intentional or racist act, savannah

>> all right pete williams with the update thank you. a growing battle in this country tonight over the removal of monuments viewed by some as symbols of racism, with the president now weighing in. nbc's garrett haik with our report. >> reporter: police in washington this morning using pepper spray and batons to clear protesters from the streets around lafayette park last night federal officers and an even larger group of demonstrators clashed. >> without any warning they came and started beating people maliciously with batons >> reporter: protesters tying ropes around the statue of andrew jackson trying and failing to topple the bronze monument to the nation's seventh president. >> andrew jackson was a slave owner. he was the opposite of sensitive to african-americans. he committed terrible atrocities and violence against native americans in this country >> reporter: the incident drawing the attention of president trump, who said he would use a 2003 law to arrest and pursue harsh sentences for those caught damaging or destroying statutes of veterans on federal

property >> they're bad people. they don't love our country. they're not taking down our monuments >> reporter: across the country in the wake of the killing of george floyd statutes and monuments deemed racist by some are coming down by force or by government order. demonstrators this week tearing down monuments to confederate figures in raleigh and a statue of the union general and president ulysses s. grant the man who was president, in san francisco. in the face of growing issues -- >> these are monuments that don't represent for the people it is representation of oppression. >> reporter: d.c. police are out in force the protesters pushed back a full block from the jackson statue and the white house, police determined to avoid a repeat of the chaos we saw last night savannah >> garrett, thank you. in atlanta today a farewell to rayshard

brooks 11 days after he was shot and killed by atlanta police. the messages at his funeral resonating far behind the church where he was remembered today here's nbc's blayne alexander. >> reporter: dressed in white the family of rayshard brooks filed into atlanta's historic ebenezer baptist church a soulful but somber good-bye for the 27-year-old killed by a police officer the service at times focusing not on his death but his life as a father of four >> i look at my grand baby right there she looks just like him. and when i look at her, i know that he's not gone ♪ i need you >> reporter: in the church once pastored by dr. martin luther king jr., today his daughter spoke directly to brooks' children >> i know the pain of growing up without a father and the ongoing attention around his

tragic loss. >> reporter: today's service capped at 200 family and friends by invitation only. outside, more mourners at a funeral celebrating brooks' life while protesting his death. >> what do you do to stay alive comply like george floyd? or run like rayshard brooks i'm not asking for a friend i'm asking for myself. and my nieces. and my nephews and my children. >> reporter: king focusing on the day brooks died, june 12th, the same day civil rights leader medgar evers was killed in 1963, the day nelson mandela was sentenced to prison. >> so june 12th is now a constant reminder of the struggle for justice. >> reporter: today a rallying cry for peace. >> it also makes us better people no matter the race. let's treat each other as we want to be treated as people. >> reporter: and a message for those protesting

>> we have to keep on walking together and marching together and standing together and together we will win >> reporter: blayne alexander, nbc news, atlanta. in 60 seconds one of the world's top tennis superstars testing positive for covid-19 after a controversial tournament what it means for other pro sports as they try to get back to game on

one of the world's top tennis players novak djokovic has tested positive for covid-19 after a controversial tournament and it comes as sports remain in limbo and leagues like the nba, major league baseball, and the nfl try to map out alternative seasons. here is nbc's miguel almaguer >> reporter: the tennis tournament organized by novak djokovic looked like any other pre-covid. little social distancing and hardly a mask in sight amid a pandemic now after djokovic, his wife, and other stars tested positive for the coronavirus, the 33-year-old says, i am extremely sorry

for each individual case of infection. just days earlier djokovic posted a video at a concert and appeared to attend clubs overseas without a mask, saying this. earlier in the month >> you know, life goes on i think we as athletes, we are looking forward to playing and to compete. >> reporter: the incident is exactly what worries the nfl, nba, and mlb tonight baseball is trying to salvage its season players reportedly agreeing to a new 60-game season starting in late july. but there is still no agreement over new health and safety protocol even if they do play ball this year, fans may not be able to return to venues like dodger stadium in a sign of the times one of the most classic ballparks is now being used for covid testing. with the nfl players association now urging an end to private workouts like the kind tom brady took part in tampa today, nba players are now

getting their first covid tests mandated by the league. if the season resumes, players would be isolated at disney world. but in florida there's been a 168% rise in covid cases the last two weeks. >> the idea that you can assure the safety of any professional sport is beyond my comprehension. >> tonight playing ball amid a pandemic, perhaps the biggest gamble taken yet by professional sports. miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. a company so many of us have depended on during the pandemic, amazon, is facing an outbreak of its own. now one worker is speaking out about his safety concerns. >> reporter: tonight new data on coronavirus cases inside a single amazon warehouse in minnesota raising alarms >> every single day i would be worried i'd complain >> reporter: state health officials now

revealing 88 workers tested positive at msp-1 an amazon warehouse with a 1,000-person work force between april and mid june meaning about 1 in 12 employees contracted the virus. jamal omer tells us he loves working at amazon but tested positive in may and so did his wife, two children, and his 75-year-old mother-in-law. >> she went to the hospital she spent three weeks. >> reporter: tonight amazon has not responded to our multiple requests for comment and denied our previous requests to go inside to observe their safety measures or tell us how many people have been infected or died by an nbc news count at least ten amazon warehouse workers have died from coronavirus nationwide tonight a minnesota health department official tells us amazon is not the worst outbreak in the state. and the situation has improved since the state made new recommendations. >> i think a customer should know they are definitely responding to the pandemic. we're all learning here the boxes they send to your house are not a risk for covid

>> reporter: do you think amazon is doing enough >> yes they are planning in the future to increase testing ability. >> reporter: some amazon workers in minnesota are not yet convinced. >> i'm glad they're providing masks, taking our temperatures but worker safety is not the top priority >> reporter: minnesota is a state where cases are decreasing showing just how complicated reopening the economy could be across the country savannah >> thank you next the showdowns on this primary day in a pandemic

back now on this primary day in the middle of a pandemic, with all eyes on kentucky to see which democrat will take on the senate's top republican here is nbc's kristen welker >> reporter: tonight is the protest movement sweeping the country about to shake up the democratic race to take on the senate's most powerful republican, mitch mcconnell? one candidate predicting a major surprise >> fighting for a better future has allowed us to build this coalition and is going to shock the world. >> reporter: democratic state representative charles booker has been a major player in kentucky's protests for racial justice booker supports defunding police, the green new deal, and medicare for all and he's backed by progressive stars bernie sanders and alexandria ocasio cortez >> need to uproot structural inequity and racism. >> reporter: booker has been an underdog against retired marine

fighter pilot and early front-runner amy mcgrath who is supported by establishment democrats. >> we didn't care about politics we just wanted to serve our country. >> reporter: earlier this month mcgrath was asked if she had taken part in protests >> i have not. >> and why >> well, i've been with my family and i've had some family things going on this past weekend >> reporter: she was asked again today. >> i did participate i went to louisville and i was in central park for a memorial service for breonna taylor and george floyd. >> reporter: in a louisville polling place today, mixed views. >> i felt like she would be the best person to get in >> we need some change i really like charles booker a lot >> reporter: so far no major problems reported tonight at the polling places savannah >> kristen, thank you. up next a young skater with a powerful message.

before we go tonight in our latest installment of "nightly news kids edition" we'll introduce you to a remarkable young skater touching others with a touching routine. kate snow chats with katelyn saunders about her message.

and one girl's act of kindness for nurses on the front lines. our new episode is streaming now. that is "nightly news." i'm savannah guthrie i'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning on "today. good night ♪ >> kelly: hey, what's going on, y'all?

i am here living it up in l.a., part of my summer staycation celebration. making great music with my band y'all, today's quar-aoke has the feeling of a hot summer day that we are having plenty of here in the valley. check out shawn mendez and ♪ i love it when you call me senorita ♪ ♪ i wish i could pretend i didn't need ya ♪ ♪ but every touch is ooh la la la ♪ ♪ it's true, la la la ♪ ooh, i should be running ♪ ooh, you keep me coming for ya ♪ ♪ land in miami ♪ the air was hot from summer rain ♪ ♪ sweat dripping off me ♪ before i even knew her name, la la la ♪ ♪ it felt like ooh la la la ♪ yeah, no ♪ i love it when you call me senorita ♪ ♪ i wish i could pretend i didn